Golf game apparatus

ABSTRACT

An indoor-type golf game having sequential hole play, magnetically attracted hole-covers and club portions, coupled with hazards, tees, ball-retaining portions, hole-in-one possibilities, scoring, and similar features which simulate regular golf play.

nited States Patent [191 Gigliotti Oct. 29,1974

[ GOLF GAME APPARATUS [76] Inventor: Victor J. Gigliotti, 220 Crystal Ave., 7 New London, Conn. 06320 [22] Filed: Apr. 12, 1974 21 Appl. No.: 460,486

Related'U.S. Application Data [63] Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 371,415, June 19,

[52] US. Cl. 273/176 F, 273/1 M, 273/34 B,

273/162 E, 294/19 R [51] Int. Cl A63b 69/36 [58] Field of Search 273/176, 181, 182, 184,

[ 15. i References Cited 1 UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,012,820 12/1911 Cory ..273/176F 1,582,237 4/1926 Angell 273/176 H 1,763,243 6/1930 MacFadden.. 273/176 F 2,515,847 7/1950 Winkler 273/176J 3,114,554 12/1963 Hurley 273/176 FA 3,138,387 6/1964 Michel et a1. 273/87 C X Primary Examiner-George J. Marlo Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Clarence A. OBrien; Harvey B. Jacobson 5 7] ABSTRACT 7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures uulllll'lllHHHMHHMW PATENTEH our 29 m4 SIEHZBFZ Fig.2

GOLF GAME APPARATUS RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuatio'n-in-part of Ser. No. 371,415, filed June 19, 1973, which in turn is a refiling of Ser. No. 582,634, filed Sept. 28, 1966, now abandoried.

FIELD OF INVENTION AND SUMMAR-Y OF THE PRIOR ART More structurally complex indoor golf games having features such as ball-return conduits, passageways, coin operation, and similar features, exemplified-by the patents to Cory (US. Pat. No. 1,012,820, issued Dec. 26,

Oct. 22, I929) patents. The Herbert (US. Pat. No.

1,927,741, issued Sept. 19, 1933) patent discloses the use of various frame, fabric, and transparent portions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Among the objects and advantages of this invention are the following:

A. Inclement weatherforecloses most outdoor activities, and this invention enables an indoor simulation of the game of golf, incorporating many features of outdoor golf games.

B. In a limited indoor space, this game offers teeingup, swinging, accuracy of driving and'putting, hazards, scoring, and similar aspects familiar to golfers, yet readily learned by a youngster or a novice.

C. The central, single, cup on the vertically extending backboard offers a hole-in-one type feeling, and such is the only way to score, an actual hole-in-one, if the ball goesint o the appropriately numbered cup.

D. Similarly, the partial fairway illustration on the backboard offers a sense of depth and reality.

E. The 'parrallel and right-angled relationships of many of the subcombinations, coupled with the ease of preparing and numberingthe holes, hole-covers, and receptacles, aids in keeping the cost of the over-all device within modest means.

F. The dimensional and structural interrelationships of the ball, holes and receptacles, hole-covers, sideboards, tee area, and similar features, again lead to reduced costs and usual replacement of parts that become worn, or otherwise damaged.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS of the putting area, a hole, hole-cover (removed, in

solid lines; and, in-place, in dotted lines) further showing the inward ledge of the ball retaining receptacle which also serves to position the hole-cover flush with the adjacent putting area; and the cross-section of the tip of aclub, showing the inclusion of magnetic means therein, attracting the metal portion of the hole-cover thereto.

7 FIG. 5 is a perspective view and bracketed to show upper and lower views of a single hole-cover, with appropriate numerals on the both sides of the hole-cover.

fIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified cup arrangement.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A In FIG. 1, the over-all device is designated by l0; 12 indicating the generally planar, horizontally arranged fairway and putting areas;. 14 denoting the tee area; and, 16, 18 and 20 are the hazard areas of rough, sandtrap and'lake, respectively.

The golf club is generally denoted as 22, with a clubhead (driver or putter) at one end, a handle portion at the opposite end, and magnetic means incorporated in the club structure, preferably at 24, in the handle portion, as illustrated. 2626 represent variously located and numbered holes for receiving the ball 28. 3030 represent the variously located teereceiving sockets, and 32 a conventional tee. 34-34.indicate the various side and end rim portions, with the illustrated backboard 36 (having the receptacle 38) completing the upper and lower perimeters of the device; it being noted in FIG. 2 that'the portions labelled 34 and 36 are of sufficient dimensions above 12 to aid in maintaining the ball within the playing area; and similarly, 34 and 36 extend sufficiently below 12 to protect the sunken hazard areas 18 and 20, and the ball-retaining receptacles 40-40. Legs, or similar supporting means, 42- 42 may be sufficiently long to place 12 Man acceptable playing height, or, there may be sufficiently short to provide only finger clearance below 34-36; or, they may be eliminated completely, and gripping apertures or cut-away portions (not illustrated) may be used when moving the over-all devicefrom one place to another.

In FIG. 3, receptacle 38 is generally centrally located with respect to the mural type delineation of a golf course fairway scene.

As previously noted, FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary hole-cover 44in its removed position, in solid lines, and in its in-plaee position in dotted lines. The solid line position being in cross-section to illustrate one manner of incorporating magnetically-attracted material in each hole-cover44. Here, 24 denotes a magnet imbedded in, or otherwise affixed to, a portion'of a golf club and attracting the metallic core portion 46 of a hole-cover, surrounded by, imbedded in, or otherwise contained by the remainder of the hole-cover, and such may be of lighter weight, non-magnetically attracted material, such as wood, paperboard, plastic, or similar material. Alternatively, the hole-covers could be made of solid pieces of wood, paperboard, plastics, and similar materials, but such materials having 'a sufficient amount of powdered magnetically attracted metal disposed, implanted, or otherwise contained in the hole-cover to be picked up by a magnetic club portion, as illustrated in solid lines in FIG. 4. In regard to the dotted line inplace illustration of a hole-cover, it will be noted that the receptacle 40 is so dimensioned with respect to the aperture in 12 forming one of the numbered playing holes that a portion of the upper rim of the receptacle 40 extends inwardly of the playing hole in 12 to constitute a ledge to receive and support an associated holecover. Also, the vertical dimension of each hole-cover 44 is such as to correspond to the thickness of 12 so that when resting on the ledge of container 40, its upper surface will remain flush with the upper surface portion of 12.

FIG. 5 illustrates, in brackets, the top and bottom portion of a single hole-cover 44, illustrating one of the numbers 1 through 9, inclusive, on a given side, and one of the numbers through 18, inclusive, on the obverse, or reverse, side. Such numbering may be imbedded in, etched on, painted on, in the form of decalcomania, or otherwise affixed to the upper and lower portions of a given hole-cover. Further, the numbers could be made of magnetically attracted material to serve the same purpose as the core 46, as described in connection with FIG. 4 above.

In the FIG. 6 modification of the device, the thickness of the game board 12 is approximately equal to one-half the diameter of the golf ball. lnstead of a cup" beneath the hole 26' (and, similar receptacle means under the hazard areas), there is a single additional sheet of material 50 secured to the entire underside of the board 12'; thus, the thickness of board 12, around any hole 26, determines the depth" of the hole, as 50 is secured flush with the bottom of board 12'.

The method of playing in the parent applications, noted above, is incorporated herein by reference; and, the distinguishing portions of this modification are added here. Playing begins and ends in the same manner indicated in the parent applications. The ball is teed-up, on a conventional tee, placed in an appropriate socket 30, in the tee area. The backboard dimensions, in the preferred embodiment, are inches in width and 14 inches high, the 20 inch dimension corresponding to the preferred over-all dimensions of 36 inches long by 20 inches wide for the number 12 area. The single, central, receptacle in the backboard preferably measures 55: inches in diameter, and is approximately 3 inches in depth. The tee area is at the end opposite the backboard and preferably has 18 tee sockets 3030; and the tee area is level and generally parallel, but above, the area 12. The ball 28 is preferably 1 inch in diameter, and is made of foam, rubber, or similar materials. Preferably two clubs are provided, one a driver and one a putter, with a magnet secured, preferably, in the end of the handle portion of each club. The sockets 30-30 receive conventionally dimensioned golf tees. The hole-covers 44, as previously indicated, have the numerals 1 through 9, inclusive, on one side thereof, and the numerals 10 through 18, inclusive, on the opposite sides thereof, thus providing l8-hole type play, depending upon which series of numbers are facing upwardly at the time the game is being played.

If the initial drive of the ball by a player lands, or hits, inside cup 38, a single stroke is counted. If the ball further rolls into the hole corresponding in number to the number of the tee from which the player made his initial drive, he has scored a hole-in-one. If a hole-in-one is not scored, then, the player proceeds and counts his strokes, until he finally sinks the ball in the appropriately numbered receptacle. The game continues for nine holes, 18 holes, 27 holes, or similar length of play,

at the pleasure of the players, or, as previously agreed by the players prior to starting the game.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A portable indoor-type golf game comprising, a generally horizontally arranged and planar game board, surrounded by upstanding rim boards to retain a prescribed golf ball on an upper playing surface portion of the game board, said game board further defining at least nine upwardly-opening and numbered holes, the area outside said holes and within said rim boards defining both fairway and putting areas; a hole-cover for each of said nine holes, each of the nine hole-covers including sufficient metal in their structure to be attracted by a magnet provided on a club, used by a player, each hole-cover further including one of the numbers one through nine, inclusive, on one side, and one of the numbers ten through eighteen, on the opposite side of each hole-cover, respectively, said holecovers being so dimensioned so that when each is in place in its respectively numbered hole, regardless of which number is facing upwardly, the upper surface of each hole-cover will form a continuation of the playing surface of the game board; a relatively rigid, vertically oriented, panel fixed in position at a rear portion of said game board, a tee area adjacent a front portion of said game board, generally parallel to said rear panel and said playing surface, said tee area including means to receive tees, the vertically oriented panel further including a generally centrally located cup portion for receiving a stroked golf ball when hit by a player, said panel and cup being so positioned that when either one is struck by a ball hit by a player, the ball will tend to rebound toward the numbered holes; the playing surface is further configured by various raised and depressed areas constituting hazards, when the ball lands on, or adjacent to, said areas.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said tee area is level and each hole has an aligned ball-retaining receptacle therebeneath.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein each hole-cover includes a central core of magnetically-attracted metal.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein a magnet is located in the end of a handle-portion of each club.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein a magnet is located in the end of a handle-portion of each club.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein each hole-cover includes a central core of magnetically-attracted metal.

serving as a fairway and embodying self-contained putting greens and being provided with at least nine upwardly opening holes into which said ball may enter,

indicia means in the form of numerals, one of said numetals being associated with each of said holes so that each of said holes is differently numbered, a rigid upstanding vertical panel fixed at a rearward terminal end of said board, said panel providing a wholly unobstructed ball striking and rebounding backboard and the front facing surface of said panel being provided with an enlarged aperture therein capable of receiving said golf ball, an enlarged cup-shaped receptacle behind the aperture -in the panel, said game board being provided at its forward end with ball teeing means extending transversely across the forward end and parallel to said panel, said teeing means having an upper planar surface to facilitate driving said ball therefrom into contact with said panel, a readily insertable plug fitted removably into each hole and which, when in its place, has an upper flat surface which is flush with the surrounding upper surface of said playing field, and

wherein said plug includes a magnetically attracted construction and is capable of being manipulated by a manually usable lifting magnet incorporated into a golf club whereby said hole can be plugged and covered when not in play and uncovered when readied for play, said teeing means comprising progressively usable individual tee areas, indicia means in the form of numerals associated with said tee areas so that said tee areas are numbered consecutively, each tee area having at least one upwardly opening socket for accessible reception of an applicable and removable tee, having a peg portion which can be plugged and thus anchored in said socket and a simulated grass area extending transversely of the game board immediately inwardly of the tee areas. 

1. A portable indoor-type golf game comprising, a generally horizontally arranged and planar game board, surrounded by upstanding rim boards to retain a prescribed golf ball on an upper playing surface portion of the game board, said game board further defining at least nine upwardly-opening and numbered holes, the area outside said holes and within said rim boards defining both fairway and putting areas; a hole-cover for each of said nine holes, eacH of the nine hole-covers including sufficient metal in their structure to be attracted by a magnet provided on a club, used by a player, each hole-cover further including one of the numbers one through nine, inclusive, on one side, and one of the numbers ten through eighteen, on the opposite side of each hole-cover, respectively, said hole-covers being so dimensioned so that when each is in place in its respectively numbered hole, regardless of which number is facing upwardly, the upper surface of each hole-cover will form a continuation of the playing surface of the game board; a relatively rigid, vertically oriented, panel fixed in position at a rear portion of said game board, a tee area adjacent a front portion of said game board, generally parallel to said rear panel and said playing surface, said tee area including means to receive tees, the vertically oriented panel further including a generally centrally located cup portion for receiving a stroked golf ball when hit by a player, said panel and cup being so positioned that when either one is struck by a ball hit by a player, the ball will tend to rebound toward the numbered holes; the playing surface is further configured by various raised and depressed areas constituting hazards, when the ball lands on, or adjacent to, said areas.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein said tee area is level and each hole has an aligned ball-retaining receptacle therebeneath.
 3. The device of claim 1, wherein each hole-cover includes a central core of magnetically-attracted metal.
 4. The device of claim 3, wherein a magnet is located in the end of a handle-portion of each club.
 5. The device of claim 1, wherein a magnet is located in the end of a handle-portion of each club.
 6. The device of claim 5, wherein each hole-cover includes a central core of magnetically-attracted metal.
 7. A portable simulated indoor-type golf game apparatus comprising a horizontally elongated game board marginally surrounded by an enclosing frame having upper component rim portions rising at right angles above the plane of the top surface of said board and defining and providing an enclosed playing field for a prescribed golf ball, said playing field representing and serving as a fairway and embodying self-contained putting greens and being provided with at least nine upwardly opening holes into which said ball may enter, indicia means in the form of numerals, one of said numerals being associated with each of said holes so that each of said holes is differently numbered, a rigid upstanding vertical panel fixed at a rearward terminal end of said board, said panel providing a wholly unobstructed ball striking and rebounding backboard and the front facing surface of said panel being provided with an enlarged aperture therein capable of receiving said golf ball, an enlarged cup-shaped receptacle behind the aperture in the panel, said game board being provided at its forward end with ball teeing means extending transversely across the forward end and parallel to said panel, said teeing means having an upper planar surface to facilitate driving said ball therefrom into contact with said panel, a readily insertable plug fitted removably into each hole and which, when in its place, has an upper flat surface which is flush with the surrounding upper surface of said playing field, and wherein said plug includes a magnetically attracted construction and is capable of being manipulated by a manually usable lifting magnet incorporated into a golf club whereby said hole can be plugged and covered when not in play and uncovered when readied for play, said teeing means comprising progressively usable individual tee areas, indicia means in the form of numerals associated with said tee areas so that said tee areas are numbered consecutively, each tee area having at least one upwardly opening socket for accessible reception of an applicable and removable tee, having a peg portion which can be plugged and thus anchored in said socket and a simulated grass area extendinG transversely of the game board immediately inwardly of the tee areas. 